Homeowner gives warning following moose attack on dog

An Anchorage woman is warning the public to be aware of how dangerous moose can be after her security camera captures a horrific attack on her dog Saturday afternoon.

Just before 2 o'clock, Kim Mahosky, a midtown homeowner, says she heard the screams of her dog. When she looked, she saw a moose charging at her 9-year-old dog Daisy.

"I ran out to the deck just in time to see a mother moose jump my fence, charge and attack my dog," she wrote in an email Sunday afternoon.

Mahosky owns the cocker spaniel and a pit bull. She said she let them outside in her backyard not knowing there was a moose calf closeby. Shortly after letting the dogs out, she could hear them barking at something.

"Once we heard all the barking we went out to see what in the world they were barking at," Mahosky wrote. "I was horrified when I saw the mother moose come charging into my yard over the fence. I began yelling and screaming out [at] the dogs and moose it only [took] moments and the whole thing was over. My poor little Daisy laid on the porch shaking with blood pouring from the top of her back."

Mahosky said she scooped Daisy up and brought her inside to assess the damage. She said Daisy had about a 4-inch gash on her back and blood was coming out of her mouth. Mahosky did what she could to stop the bleeding before taking her to the vet.

"We grabbed the can of bag balm put a big glob on the open wound covered it with a towel and tight pressure to stop/slow down the bleeding loaded Daisy in the car and rushed her to Dimond emergency vet clinic," she wrote. "They got her right in, did x-rays and blood work and off to surgery."

According to Mahosky, the veterinarian said the moose kick had torn all the muscle and fat off the bone and they were now sitting in her belly. But they were able to save her.

"The doctor was able to go in and reattach the fat and muscle back up, however, the recovery will take a bit of time for sure," she wrote. "They also had to do a few stitches in her mouth were the moose kicked out her k9 tooth and it left a gaping hole."

Mahosky says Daisy is currently medicated and sleeping comfortably on her bed at home.

Fish and Game say to keep your distance from moose; do not feed them -- it's against the law. If you see one near your house, be patient and wait for it to walk away.

"The moose will often move away on its own," according to the Department of Fish and Game. "It may take half an hour or more, but it is usually worth waiting. Sometimes a loud noise or movement will startle them into moving, but moose that are used to people are usually not easily chased away."

If a moose charges at you, Fish and Game says to run.

"Unlike with bears or even dogs, it is usually a good idea to run from a moose because they won't chase you very far," according to the Fish and Game website.